Bookstack



H. ADLER April 29, 1941.

BOOKSTAGK Filed June 5, 1938 2 SheetsSheet 1 OOOOOOOO Patented Apr. 29, 1941 BooKs'rAoK Hans Adler, Berlin-Wilmersdorf, Germany, assignor to 'Man'nesmann-Stahlblechbau-Akticngesellschaft, Berlin, Germany Application June 3, 1938, Serial No; 211,647 In Germany June 4, 1937 7 Claims.

This invention relates to bookstacks, more particularly of metal, comprising adjustable shelves and associated side plates.

It is an object of my invention to facilitate the attaching of the shelves to the supporting uprights and the adjustment of the shelves with respect to the uprights.

Another object of the invention is to render it possible, by simple means, to detach the shelves from and to attach them to, the supporting uprights as a self-contained unit with their associated side plates so that a shelf member may be shifted, together with the books or the like lying on it, from one place or bookstack to another.

Still another object of the invention is to provide attaching means which render it possible to construct the uprights relatively light and simple.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, as may become apparent from the within disclosures, my invention consists not only of the structures herein pointed out and illustrated by the drawings, but comprises further structures limited only by the scope of what hereinafter may be claimed.

The character of the invention, however, may be best understood by reference to certain of its structural forms, as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in Which Fig. l is a section on line I-I in Fig. 3 and shows in a fragmentary view an upright and shelf member having the invention applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a section on line II-II in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on line III-III in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary section on line IV--IV in Fig. 2, and illustrates the form of the shelf member.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary front view of the system shown in Figs. 1 to 4, with two shelves and associated side plates attached.

Fig. 6 is a front view of a shelf as shown in the preceding figures, with its side plate folded down.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary section on line VII'-VII in Fig. 8, and illustrates another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 8 is a front view of the embodiment shown in Fig. '7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary section on line IX-IX in Fig. 10, showing still another embodiment.

Fig. 10 is a section on line X-X in Fig. 11.

Fig. 11 is a front view of the arrangement shown in Figs. 9 and 10.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary section on line XH-XII in Fig. 13, showing a further bookstack system according to the invention.

Fig. 13 is a section on line XIIIX[II in Fig. l2.

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary section on lin'e X[V.X[V in Fig. 15 and indicates a system with open teeth.

Fig. 15 is a section on line XV-XV in Fig. 14."

Fig. 16 is a section on line XV-XV'in Fig. 14, but with a modified form of upright.

Similar reference letters designate similar parts in the different figures.

Referring now to the drawings in greater detail, and first to Figs. 1 to 6, it will be seen that perforated uprights a, preferably of profiled metal sheets, are provided the perforations t of which are adapted to be engaged by the rear end d of a pin 6 by which the side plate b is hingedly mounted on the shelf plate c, through brackets i. As will be seen from Fig. 6, the side plate 12 can be folded down to lie fiat on the shelf 0 and to take minimum space in shipment. In this knocked down condition of the side wall the pin e is inserted when assembling the side wall and the shelf, a spring ring f serving to prevent the pin from inadvertent removal. Mounted on the underside of the shelf and at both ends thereof is an angle member g, which with the middle portion of its free end is bent round to receive the pin 0 while the side portions of said free end serve as a stop member engaging the lower bent portion h of the'side plate b in vertical position thereof. The bent portion h of the side plate b has bent up lugs i which are bored for receiving the pin e. The side plate is formed with a circular or curved bead s opposite the shelf which permits it to swing the side wall over the edge ofthe shelf, so that in an open condition the edge of the shelf is positioned adjacent to the side plate, advantageously somewhat within the bead, to prevent formation of a gap causing injury of the books. For shipment, the shelf together with its side plates is packed in a folded down condition but it is also possible to ship the shelf and side plates separately for assemblage on site. In this case the pin e and spring ring 1 are also shipped separately. The rear end of the side plate b is provided with a U-shaped inclined flange I, 2 which is adapted to engage a corresponding U-shaped counter-flange 3 of the upright a.

In order to hang the shelf on the shelf support one proceeds as follows:

The side plates b hinged to the shelf 0 are folded to their extreme inward position or are inclined towards the shelf 0 by an amount corresponding to the width of the portion Z of the U- shaped flange 2 of the side plate I). Now the projection or pin end (I of the shelf is pushed into the desired perforation or recess of the upright and the shelf is upwardly urged until the rear edge of the side plates engages the upright. Now the two side plates on the right and left side are erected vertically and the shelf is allowed to occupy its normal position, whereby the flange I, 2 to the rear of the side plates hooks into the counter flange of the upright. The shelf is now ready to receive books.

When it is intended to readjust the shelf with or without books standing on it, the pin dis withdrawn from the perforation or recess of the upright by drawing the shelf forwardly. The lower portion of the U-shaped flange of the side wall in this case also enters the flange of the upright which serves as a guidance. Now the shelf may be upwardly or downwardly moved along the uprights and when the desired position is reached, the pin d may be pushed into the corresponding perforation or recess of the upright.

In order to remove a shelf entirely from the uprights, with or without books on it, one proceeds as follows: i

The pin it is not withdrawn from the upright but the front end of the shelf is lifted until the rear edge of the side plate engages the upright, whereby the U-shaped flange of the side plate moves clear of the U-shaped flange of the upright. Now the side plates are inwardly swung until the free end of the U-shaped flange of the side plate is free to pass laterally of the said flange of the upright. Now the shelf may be removed from the upright and inserted in another compartment of the frame system or bookstack.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 8 there is shown an arrangement similar to that according to Figs. 1 to 6 except that in this case the side plate is provided with a spring r which serves to ensure that the pin d falls into the corresponding perforation of the upright. Moreover, to facilitate engagement of the pin d into the upright, the spaces between the perforations t are depressed to form an inclined surface towards the perforations. As will be seen from Fig. '7, a saw blade section is thus formed by the row of perforations and depressions t.

Referring to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, the end of the pin e in this case merely abuts the upright a. and instead of the projection 11 a projection Z of the side plate engages corresponding perforations 'm of the upright.

Figs. 12 and 13 show a system similar to Figs. 9, 10 and 11, except that instead of perforating the uprights, racks or toothed strips n are arranged between the upright 11. and U-shaped members w at both sides of the upright a and adapted to be engaged by projections l of the shelf 0.

Figures 14 and 15 illustrate a modification of the system shown in Figs. 12 and 13 comprising U-shaped members V secured to the uprights a and provided with toothed flanges 0 into which a nose-shaped projection 11 of the side walls engages. Since the teeth 0 are positioned behind the side plate 12, the books are protected from mechanical injuries.

Fig. 16 indicates a modification of the cross section of the upright shown in Fig. 15.

It will be understood that in any of the embodiments hereinbefore described, the uprights are provided for receiving the corners of four shelves belonging to different compartments of the shelf frame and, moreover, the uprights may be provided for receiving any desired number of shelves superposed in a vertical direction although the representation is limited to one corner of one shelf each for the sake of clarity. Also it will be readily understood that two uprights are required to support each shelf at opposite ends.

While I have herein shown and described certain preferred embodiments of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to all the precise details herein set forth by way of illustration, as modification and variation may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A bookstack comprising laterally spaced upright supports, each having a rearwardly directed web portion, a shelf member, side plates hinged to said shelf member so that they may be folded down to lie parallel to said shelf member and be moved to an upright position at right angles to said shelf member, means on said side plates formed to embrace the rearwardly directed web portions of said supports in the upright position of said side plates for guiding said side plates and preventing folding movement thereof with respect to said member, and means including interengaging means on said shelf member and supports for supporting said shelf member and side plates as a unit in various positions of adjustment on said supports.

2. A bookstack according to claim 1, wherein the means for guiding and preventing folding of said side plates comprises members on said plates formed to embrace the web portions of said supports and the interengaging means on said shelf member and supports comprises elements on said shelf member and spaced supporting means on said supports with which said elements are selectively engageable, said members being of such size with respect to said elements as to remain in embracing relation with said web portions when the elements are disengaged from said supports during adjustment of said shelf member.

3. A bookstack comprising upright supports formed to provide rearwardly opening guide channels, a shelf member, side plates hinged to said shelf member so that they may be folded down to lie parallel to said shelf member and be moved to an upright position at right angles to said shelf member, means on and extending forwardly from the rear edges of said side plates and engageable in said guide channels in the upright position of said side plates to guide and prevent folding movement of said side plates, and means including interengaging means on said shelf member and said supports, for retaining said shelf member in various adjusted positions on said supports.

4. A bookstack comprising upright supports, a shelf member, side plates disposed at opposite ends of said shelf member, means hingedly connecting said side plates to said shelf member so that they may be folded down to lie parallel to said shelf member and be moved to an upright position at right angles to said shlf member, means on said side plates engageable with said supports in the upright position of said side plates for guiding said side plates and preventing folding movement thereof with respect to said shelf member, and vertically spaced receiving means on said supports engageable by said connecting means to support said shelf member and side plates as a unit in various positions of adjustment on said supports.

5. A bookstack comprising upright supports, a

book-carrying unit including a shelf member and side plates hinged to said shelf member for movement from a folded position substantially parallel to said shelf member to an upright position substantially at right angles thereto, means including inter-engaging means on said shelf member and supports for supporting said unit in various adjusted" positions on said supports, and means on said side plates freely and slidably engageable with laterally outwardly-facing portions of said sup-ports in the upright position of said side plates for preventing folding movement of said side plates in any position of adjustment of said unit.

6. A bookstack comprising upright supports, a book-carrying unit including a shelf member and side plates hinged to said shelf member for movement from a folded to an upright position with respect thereto, interengaging means on said supports and book-carrying unit for supporting the latter for limited tilting movement in any. of a plurality of different positions of adjustment on said supports, and means on said side plates engageable with said supports in the upright position of said side plates and the non-tilted position of the unit for preventing folding movement of said side plates with respect to said shelf member, said last named means bein releasable to permit folding movement of said side plates upon tilting of said unit to the limited extent afforded by said supporting means.

7. A bookstack comprising upright supports, a book-supporting unit vertically adjustable on said supports and including a shelf member and side plates hinged to said shelf member for movement from a folded to an upright position with respect thereto, means on said shelf member engageable with said supports in one position of said shelf member for supporting said unit in any of a number of vertically adjusted positions on said supports, said means being releasable upon movement of said shelf member to another and noncooperative position relative to said supports, and interengaging means on said side plates and supports for preventing folding movement of said side plates with respect to said shelf member in.

both of the aforesaid positions of the latter.

HANS ADLER. 

